The present drought has been described as the worst since 1999 and slightly less severe than the drought of 1987. Rain fall recorded at the Breeze weather station tells a different story. Rain fall during the months of June, July, and August totaled 10.6 inches in 1987 and 10.9 inches in 1999. There are three days remaining in this August with the June 1 to August 28, 2024 total standing at 6.2 inches. While it is possible that 4.5 inches could fall before September 1, it is not likely. The forecast on Tuesday predicted a 40% chance of local thunderstorms on the last three days of the month.
On Monday, August 26, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), the WV Conservation Service, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service teamed to host an Awareness Meeting at the Holiday Inn Express in Teays Valley at which the three agencies made the help available to drought stricken farmers known. Matt Taylor of the FSA compared this year’s weather to that of the famed Dust Bowl period of the Great Depression era.
Both the WV Conservation Service and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) have programs which are designed to help farmers implement practices which promote speedy land recovery from drought conditions and develop effective plans to deal with future droughts. The FSA offers immediate help to livestock producers who have suffered from drought-caused grazing losses. Many cattle farmers have been forced to feed hay which they had intended to feed their animals between late October and mid-April.
FSA administrator Josh Lewis said that farmers who are registered with the USDA may receive cash payments for their losses in as little as two weeks. “The cash will allow cattle producers to buy replacement hay if any can be found,” Lewis said. “Many will be forced to reduce herd size because second-cutting hay will not be available.”
The FSA makes cash payments available to areas which have a D3 drought classification through its Livestock Forage Disaster Program. This summer marks the first time since 1999 that Putnam has been classed D3. D3 ratings are assigned to areas of extreme drought which have suffered major crop and pasture losses. Lewis said that the first step for farmers seeking relief is to register. The telephone number of the USDA office serving Putnam County is 304-776-5256. Farmers must certify that they suffered a grazing loss due to drought, and submit an acreage report to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for all grazing land for which a grazing loss is being claimed.
The WV Conservation service offers financial assistance to farmers for infrastructure improvements such as farm pond construction. NRCS assistance targets large scale needs of an entire farming operation.
The Awareness Meeting at the Holiday Inn Express is the first for the agencies involved. Lewis stated that he was surprised by the large response. “I was expecting maybe five to ten. There were more than fifty individuals waiting to hear us. The turnout reflects the degree to which farmers have been affected.”
